College Football News Preview 2020: Keys To The Season
Biggest Key To The Akron Zips Offense
The offensive line play has to be much, much stronger. There’s a veteran quarterback in Kato Nelson to work around, there are a ton of running back options, and the receiving corps should be decent. None of it matters unless the offensive line is far stronger, and that’s the team’s biggest area of rebuilding. Three starters are gone from a line that didn’t generate a lick of production for the ground game, and it didn’t give anyone any time to work.
Biggest Key To The Akron Zips Defense
Stop someone on third downs. The offense was the bigger problem overall – it was last in the nation on third down covering just 26% of the time – but the defense was a disaster, too, allowing teams to convert 53% of their chances. Overall, there’s enough experience and enough athleticism back to be okay as long as the offense can do something to not have so many empty drives, but the D has to get off the field, too.
Key Akron Zips Player To A Successful Season
RB Cole Gest or Teon Dollard
The offensive line needs several parts to step up, and finding playmakers everywhere is a must, but just getting anything out of the running backs is a must. The nation’s worst running game gets Gest – a transfer from Indiana who never got going thanks to a knee injury – and Dollard is a JUCO transfer with the upside to take over right away.
Key Game To The Akron Zips Season
Youngstown State, Sept. 5
Akron just needs a win. There weren’t any games against FCS teams in the 0-12 campaign of last year, and head coach Tom Arth is still looking for something positive. It’s not like everything hinges on beating the Penguins, but with 17 straight losses as a program – and losing 20 of the last 22 games – winning the opener before dealing with a winnable game at New Mexico State is a must.
– Akron Zips Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2019 Akron Zips Fun Stats
– 3rd Down Conversions: Opponents 53% – Akron 26%
– 2nd Quarter Scoring: Opponents 158 – Akron 23
– Sacks: Opponents 57 for 314 yards – Akron 10 for 61 yards